Past with marker đã
Can express past actions using đã
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Tôi đã đến Việt Nam năm ngoái.
I went to Vietnam last year.
Hôm qua trời mưa.
Yesterday it rained.
Bạn đã ăn chưa?
Have you eaten yet?
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
To express past actions, place đã before the verb. The verb itself still doesn't change!
| Vietnamese | English |
|---|---|
| Tôi đã ăn. | I ate. / I have eaten. |
| Anh ấy đã đi. | He went. / He has gone. |
| Chúng tôi đã gặp cô ấy. | We met her. / We have met her. |
đã is often optional! If context makes the past clear (hôm qua = yesterday, năm ngoái = last year), you can drop đã: Hôm qua tôi ăn phở = Yesterday I ate pho (no đã needed).
đã does NOT distinguish past simple vs present perfect! Tôi đã ăn = I ate / I have eaten. English has two tenses; Vietnamese has one marker for both.
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises
Practice ExercisesUsed đã when context already shows past
đã is optional when time words (hôm qua, năm ngoái) make past clear. Don't double-mark.
Tôi đã đến Việt Nam năm ngoái.
I went to Vietnam last year.
đã + đến = went/arrived. năm ngoái (last year) reinforces past context. Both đã and time word work together.
Hôm qua trời mưa.
Yesterday it rained.
No đã needed! hôm qua (yesterday) already makes it past. Vietnamese often drops đã when context is clear.
Bạn đã ăn chưa?
Have you eaten yet?
đã...chưa? = have...yet? The classic Vietnamese greeting! Answer: Rồi (already) or Chưa (not yet).
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises